


Papercuts

by c_chord_syndrome



Category: My Engineer (TV)
Genre: Bottom Frong, Cupcake the main lead, Doctor Thara, Frong is a brat, Frong will wake your sympathy, FrongDuen friendship, It will get a bit kinky, Light Angst, M/M, Smut, Thara loves his lizard, Top Thara, but this is close to canon, no beta we die like men, they never met at uni
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:06:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/c_chord_syndrome/pseuds/c_chord_syndrome
Summary: Frong wasn't proned to injuries.Only heartbreak.But the universe looked at him and thought:'What if we put these two together?'~A misfortune brings Frong to the hospital where a nice doctor treats him and then Frong leaves. As to how trips to the hospital usually go.But now this doctor seems to be everywhere for some reason. And maybe Frong doesn't mind it.Maybe it was his time to get a smooth sailing in the romance world.Haha.Right?
Relationships: Frong Korawit Kankun/Thara
Comments: 12
Kudos: 53





	1. Unlucky

"I'm fine!" Frong insisted with a whine but Duen kept dragging him forward with serious determination. What's one blood poisoning from an insect bite? He didn't need to go see a doctor. Not that going to a doctor scared him or anything.

He just deemed it improper to waste their time with such little things that's all. He could live without his arm.

He wasn't scared.

"P'Frong please, you need to get a shot right now." Duen begged and if Frong's heels dug deeper into the ground with the word shot and started leaving tracks in the grass neither of them mentioned it.

Trees were flying past them as Duen was almost running. People turned to look at them because it probably looked like a potential kidnapping thanks to Frong's behaviour.

"Seriously I'm fine Duen you can just walk me home. It's getting kind of cold so I just need to be inside and rest." His heart was beating kind of fast as well but that was just from the thought of getting a shot surely. A shot he wasn't afraid of.

Duen sighed and started going faster. The hospital building came to sight and Frong's stomach dropped. "P' chills and getting cold are a symptom of blood poisoning. As is that red line from the bite. If we don't get you into treatment right now you could die."

Oh.

Right he remembered his mom talking about a neighbor of theirs once. They had lost their brother to blood poisoning because the family had brushed it off as a fever. When they found out what was actually wrong with him it had been too late.

Maybe a quick check-up wouldn't hurt.

Duen pushed the doors open to the hospital and took him to the second floor. He dropped Frong on one of the benches at the waiting area and went to the front desk. Frong secretly thanked him for letting him sit because he was getting kind of dizzy and his legs were heavier than before. He settled to stare at the white hospital wall opposite him as a distraction.

He didn't know how much time had passed when a careful tap on his shoulder woke him up from his in vain staring contest. Duen smiled down on him with almost pity and lifted Frong's right arm to place it around his shoulder to lift him up. If Bohn happened upon the scene he would probably end Frong before the blood poisoning even had the chance to.

"C'mon this way P' my cousin is a doctor here and will take good care of you." Frong went without a fight this time but it was mainly because his head was still kind of spinning a bit.

~

"Ah Duen? Are you alr- oh what is wrong with your friend? Here, sit him here." A warm voice said and Frong gave a small nod of courtesy, his hands too tied around Duen to give a proper wai. A name Doctor Thara was given and then he was placed on a cold plastic chair. He had always hated the chairs in hospitals.

Duen didn't wait around with small talk and introductions as he as a medical student knew the urgency of the situation. "Sepsis on his left arm P'Thara, came from an insect bite about thirty minutes ago," came a quickfire explanation.

Frong watched as the doctor's face went from warm and welcoming to serious and he came to take Frong's arm for inspection.

The man couldn't be much older than them, probably had just graduated or was still even a student. He had nice features Frong decided.

The doctor looked at the bite and then at him and an odd calm washed over Frong. It was accompanied with a shiver and okay, maybe he was dying after all.

"Hello," he said warmly, a contrast to Duen's stressful breakdown behind him. "What's your name?"

Frong only stared at him for a second before realizing he should probably give the doctor an answer. That's how questions usually worked, right?

"Um, it's Frong, P'Doctor."

The man gave him a small smile and then stood up. Frong saw a bowl filled with individually packaged needles in the direction the doctor was heading, and his eyes widened with horror.

But once again, he wasn't afraid of shots. Not at all. Who doesn't love a needle sticked into their flesh?

The doctor took one of the needles and a syringe and opened a drawer. He pulled out one small bottle of liquid and turned back to him. "You're very lucky Frong that Duen was with you. One simple shot should do the trick and then I'm going to prescribe you some antibiotics. If you had waited around before coming here we would've had to put you in intensive care."

Shit. Frong made a mental note to buy a gift for Duen. Maybe something edible so Bohn doesn't freak out. The man doesn't need to know if he takes Duen out to ice cream.

A silence fell and Frong looked up to where the doctor was standing. The doctor was looking at Duen. Duen was looking awkward on the side and was closer to the door now as if he was ready to sprint away.

Oh no he won't, Frong thought. "Don't you dare leave Duen!" And if the desperation in his voice gave out his fear he didn't care anymore. There was a needle standing within a meter from him. A moral support would be appreciated.

Duen stopped from where he was eyeing the handle like it was the only way to happiness and instead of looking at Frong he sheepishly looked at the doctor.

Frong copied him and started begging. Dignity was nothing right now. "Can't he stay while I get the shot? He can even keep my arm in place, I will probably need restraining."

Duen and the doctor exchanged looks at that and unlike Duen the doctor kept his face neutral. "Well that's fine by me, Duen can stay if that's what you both want."

A mental sigh of relief.

"But I should tell you that this shot will be given in your buttock as it's the biggest muscle."

No. Okay. Thanks. Goodbye. Pleasure doing business with you.

Now Duen had the courtesy to look at him. He overlooked the apparent shock on Frong's face and pleaded with him with his eyes. 'Please don't make me watch as your ass gets pierced' they said.

And well yeah. Definitely no. He'd actually have the doctor leave the room as well if that was possible. Maybe he could just give himself the shot? He was bendy.

"Bye Duen," he just said, and the boy was already out and the door closed behind him before Frong even finished the sentence.

The doctor, who Frong had deemed more hot than just nice looking by now, took a step closer. "Alright, we really need to give you this shot now so if you could please stand up and go over to that examination bed."

Frong stood up reluctantly and walked over to the bed. As if the needle wasn't bad enough, now he had to lay on a bed naked in front of a good looking man. And not in the good way.

But the doctor stood there completely unaffected, like this wasn't the absolutely worst moment of Frong's life and smiled at him encouragingly, pointing towards the bed like Frong could miss it.

"Please take off your pants and if you have long underwear, those too." he simply said and turned to prepare the shot.

Shame burned its way up to Frong's ears as he started unbuttoning his jeans. This morning he had gotten up thinking he was going to have a nice picnic at the park with Duen and now he was stripping at the doctor's office.

Nothing could be worse, he thought as he laid himself on his stomach on the bed.

The doctor came to sit by his side and let a little bit of fluid out of the syringe. Another encouraging smile was given. "Now what did you say about needing to be restrained?"

Duen should've just let him die at the park.


	2. Unbelievable

There was shame and then there was Frong's life. All the dignity he had restored on his way out of the hospital lied now shattered on the pavement. And so did he.

No, I don't need you to call me a taxi, Frong had said. No, I don't need anyone to pick me up. Yes, I'm feeling fine. No, I'm not going to faint and fall to the ground as soon as I step out of the building. No, there won't be a shard of glass that will cut my hand open.

And there he now sat with a blurry vision, bleeding. Except he was more lying on his side than sitting because of the pain in his ass from the bloody shot.

Fucking great.

Where had Duen gone anyway that had been so important? He only got a short text message saying he was sorry but there had been an emergency.

Frong sighed out of frustration and rubbed his temples to get some of the tension out. Except now he probably smeared the blood from his hand all over his forehead.

Oh well. He gave up hope on this being a good day when he was undressing anyway.

He wondered what the universe was planning for him next. Maybe a small fire? You know something to keep him on his toes.

He heard footsteps rushing to him and oh finally a passerby had noticed that there was a man down looking very pathetic.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The voice was full of concern but there was a hint of professionalism under it and it reminded Frong of the doctor from earlier. Except, Frong turned his head to take a look and yeah, that was him.

Splendid.

He was in the middle of calculating how far he could run before his legs would give in when the doctor suddenly got more serious, concern painting his whole face and he rushed to where Frong was sitting.

Rushed hands were examining him all over, carefully swiping at his forehead and oh, yeah the blood he'd smeared all around probably made it look like he had smashed his head in.

"Frong? Frong? Can you hear me? Can you speak?" the doctor bombed him with questions and yeah, Frong should definitely tell him he's fine. Just a little dizzy.

Just as he opened his mouth to say so though the doctor picked him up bridal style and Frong's eyes widened. He let out a small gasp out of surprise before hurrying to balance himself by placing his hands against the doctor's chest. He stared at the man in shock as he held him like he weighted nothing.

"Um, I'm fine," he raised his voice to make sure he was heard, "the blood came from my hand I hit some glass when I went down. See." And as to prove his words he held his injured palm to the doctor to calm him down.

He wasn't dying, just wishing he was.

The information washed over the doctor and Frong saw his face relax in relief. He looked around to see people staring at them.

Now that the initial shock of having been questioned and picked up was running off it was kind if awkward to just lie there in the other's arms. Actually, it was very awkward.

But now that he had proven he was fine and in one piece the doctor would surely let him down. Right? Except that he didn't. He just adjusted his hold of him and walked back inside the building like this was normal protocol.

They definitely turned heads and now Frong was grateful for the blood on his forehead because at least it looked like that was the reason he was being carried.

"You should've let me call you a cab," the voice said, not accusing, only warm. He hated how it soothed him even though he didn't need soothing. Frong wondered if doctor's took courses on how to talk to their patients like this. Almost like they were children.

"Well I was feeling fine at the time," he countered, feeling awkward as he was still being carried like a baby. Wait why was he even allowing this? "Could you put me down?"

"Alright but try and not to faint this time," and Frong felt a spark of annoyance at that. His pride was taking a hit after a hit and it didn't help that the same man kept witnessing all of this.

They reached the doctor's office after a while and Frong made a beeline to the annoying plastic chair. Yes, the world was spinning around a bit after walking but he wasn't going to let the doctor know. He didn't need to be carried out of the building as well.

The doctor watched him sit down and seemed to hesitate for a second before saying "Maybe you should sit on the bed, it's softer so it won't hurt your buttock as much."

Frong hated the word buttock he decided just then as he felt the burning shame rise to his face again. He was probably bright red if the flicker of amusement on the doctor's face was anything to go by. But he did as he was told because the hard surface did feel a bit uncomfortable.

"So, what happened to you out there? You left like ten minutes ago?" the doctor asked once Frong sat down and went to the sink to wet a cloth before coming back. He started wiping the blood out of his forehead and Frong wanted to complain about how cold the cloth felt. Didn't they get hot water in here?

"Everything just went dark, I don't know," he said and winced as the doctor switched to wipe down his injured hand. It was only a small cut but the contact still stung.

He sat there silently, ignoring the burn as the doctor held his hand in place and wiped it with an antiseptic and made sure there wasn't any glass shards inside the wound.

He lowered his chin to rest in his other hand and kicked his legs as time went by, starting to get fidgety. "Will I be here 'til the end of times?" he asked probably way too rudely but he was getting tired. He'd had his share of misfortunes for the day and kind of just wanted to go take a nap.

The doctor didn't seem to be offended though, or at least he didn't show it, as he only gave him a low chuckle and finished patching his hand up.

Using gauze was exaggeration on such a small wound in Frong's opinion. A plaster would've been fine.

"Actually, you're all good to go," he said cheerily and dug a water bottle from his desk, "once you drink this. We need to get some fluids in you."

Frong rolled his eyes but took the bottle and opened it, hating the way the gauze felt against his palm as he moved it. The doctor luckily busied himself with clearing his desk as Frong started drinking. He didn't need the other man staring at him.

As soon as he was finished, he stood up ignoring the slight burn from where the shot was given and thanked the doctor before starting to leave. His hand was already on the handle before he was stopped with a shout.

"Now wait a second! You think I'm just going to let you leave like this again? I don't need to scoop you up from the pavement bleeding for the second time today," the voice was clearly amused maybe even borderline teasing and Frong just wanted to be at home so he could bury himself under some blankets, or the ground, and forget this day ever happened.

"I'll take a taxi this time don't worry," he tried to brush the other off turning to leave again but he didn't seem happy with the solution.

"You seem way too stubborn to be trusted with that," the doctor said and okay, wow, was this how they were allowed to talk to their patients? Maybe he should file a complaint.

The doctor scooped some more things off his desk and threw them in his bag. "My shift just ended let me drive you home."

This was definitely the weirdest doctor's visit Frong had ever had. By a mile.

He raised his hands defensively in front of him and shook his head. "No need to do that Doctor, I can get home just fine by myself. Really."

This only made the doctor's smile grow and he shook his head as well. "Don't be difficult now, Duen left me in charge of you so I'll be making sure you get home safely."

Well Frong didn't care. He wasn't going to get into a stranger's car no matter how harmless they seemed.

~

He wasn't getting into a stranger's car. He, however, was getting onto a stranger's bike rack, hands wrapped around the said stranger.

"A taxi would've been safer," he grumbled annoyed, definitely not satisfied with the situation. A freaking bike? It would take at least half an hour for them to reach his home. A taxi would've taken minutes.

Was Duen crazy with leaving his life on the hands of this person? Maybe he secretly wanted him dead? He erased every thought of getting Duen that gift.

No gifts for fake friends.

"We're not leaving before you put the helmet on," the doctor said after growing tired of waiting for Frong to do it voluntarily.

The helmet was pink. With lizards on it. Severe head trauma would be worth not wearing this.

But as the doctor showed no signs of moving, he relented and put the helmet on. He just hoped no one he knew would see him right now.

One can only take so many blows in one day.

They started moving and Frong tightened his hold around the doctor's waist as the movement threatened to throw him off. It was harder to sit there than he had initially thought.

Not only was the iron digging into his ass but also his body was still tired from everything, so it was hard to keep his legs up to prevent them dragging against the ground.

He was definitely the reason they were a bit wobbly but he just tried to ignore the feeling of shame from it. He'd wanted to take a taxi. This was on the other man.

Frong's fidgeting once again caused them to swirl a bit when suddenly the doctor's right hand left the handle and came to lift one of Frong's legs higher to keep it in place. He pulled Frong forward while doing so, causing the other to smash his face against the doctor's back.

Frong was too shocked to even lift his head back up. The large hand under his sensitive skin on his thigh took his brain right out.

The touch wasn't even meant to be intimate it was there to only make sure his feet didn't drag across the pavement but it still silenced him.

Not that he was talking before.

Only whining because he was on a fucking bike for crying out loud.

He stared at the doctor's back, not moving an inch for the rest of the way, which was much smoother now that Frong wasn't kicking all over the place.

He only gained his sense back when they arrived at his house and the hand left. The doctor turned to him all bright smiles like nothing out of the ordinary had happened and Frong stiffly got off the bike.

"Um, thank you Doctor, for the lift," he said trying to find his balance on the solid ground.

"Oh, please call me Thara. Now remember to rest and take those antibiotics I gave you. If the dizziness doesn't go away come back for a check-up okay?"

Frong wasn't sure why calling him Thara was important as he'd probably never see him again but he brushed it off. He took off the awful helmet and gave it back to the man. "Yeah, okay, thank you P'Thara."

Thara gave him a nod as a goodbye and then he was off. Frong watched him ride out of sight before he went inside the apartment.

Now he was going to sleep for three days.


	3. Unusual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to update. School hit like a bag of bricks but the worst is over now and I will try to update at least once a week!
> 
> Enjoy!

“Hi,” Frong said as soon as he accepted the call. 35 missed calls was his new record. He’d need to write that down somewhere.

“Oh, he answers!” Duen huffed down the line, voice filled with sarcasm. “Not a word in three days, do you know how worried I was?” 

Angry Duen was a rarity. Angry Duen did not sound fun. Frong went against his nature and wished Bohn strength with this man. 

He rubbed his neck sheepishly even though he knew Duen wouldn’t be able to see it and gave an apologetic chuckle. “Sorry Duen my head’s been a mess since the doctor’s. I’ve been just resting ever since, even turned off my phone, but I did send you a text message saying I was ok! Besides weren’t you the one who ran off while I was laying ass out in the doctor’s office?”

A pained groan came down the line and Frong grinned. He could see Duen’s thumb hovering over the end call button. “Please don’t paint me an image. But fair enough. Sorry about that by the way I had to go babysit my sister.”

Okay, valid reason. 

“You said you’re not feeling well though?” Duen continued. “You should go back to the hospital to make sure it isn’t serious. Have you been taking the medication? Drinking water? How’s the bite looking?”

“Yes doctor, yes doctor and almost healed doctor,” Frong answered sarcastically. Duen’s concern was touching but he couldn’t but laugh at his friend for going all medical student on him. It was nice that someone worried for him. Even though he drew the line in going back to the doctor’s, especially when he was fine and he told Duen as much.

“Alright then but when you drop dead out of nowhere don’t come back to haunt me because I did warn you,” Duen simply said, knowing Frong well enough to drop it. He could be stubborn sometimes but hey, that just made him lovable right?

“I swear I won’t haunt you,” Frong swore, even put his hand up and everything. “Can’t say the same thing about your boyfriend though. You’d might need separate bedrooms because I will visit him every night.”

Suddenly there was some static on the line, either that or Duen was throwing up but there shouldn’t be any reason for that right? “You make it sound so wrong Frong I swear,” Duen complained after getting himself back together. “Please don’t fuck my boyfriend as a ghost. -wait what’s that static on your end?”

Maybe Frong would need to go to the hospital again as his stomach turned at Duen’s words. Yeah, hard pass. He’d heard that hate sex was great, but it just wouldn’t be worth it. Besides they’d probably knock each other out before they’d even get to the good part.

“Oh, hey before I forget,” Duen stopped Frong’s wonderings, “there’s a few of us going to a bar on Saturday would you like to join us?”

Frong thought. A bar did sound great right now. It sounded fucking awesome. After that awful day he deserved to be pampered with hard alcohol and some friends. 

“Yeah, I’m in!” he told Duen excitedly. Then he waited on the line as Bohn whined in the background about wanting to come too. Something about not wanting to be left all alone at the house. 

“Stop whining, of course you can come. Maybe you should ask your friends to join us as well,” Frong heard Duen say and shook his head with a laugh. Alcohol and engineers was always a risky combination.

~

Alcohol. That was the only thing running through Frong’s mind and veins right now. It had only been an hour since they arrived but oh well. Besides, Frong turned his head from the bar to look at Duen twerking on the dancefloor, his state wasn’t the worst. 

Ram saw him sitting alone and kindly sat next to him even though he didn’t say much. Just a friendly nod and the clink of their glasses together before they drank, heads thrown back. Frong felt the alcohol travel down to his stomach and when he lifted his head, a slightly drunk King had joined them. 

He spoke more than Ram, giving Frong an earful of stories about how his journey here had gone, before taking Ram with him to the garden outside. To look at plants. And because it was King, Frong actually believed that’s what they went to do.

He relaxed back into his seat as they left and took another sweep of the room. And another gulp of his drink. This was nice. These people were nice.

Duen’s friends had all more or less adopted him a long time ago. Even Bohn’s friends were more than friendly with him. Bohn was the only one sending him sharp glares every now and then but these days Frong only laughed and looked away. 

He knew Bohn knew that Frong was no threat. It was more of a habit now. It’s not like Frong never went out of his way just to annoy Bohn. It felt good to chase a reaction out of the man. Passed the time.

He took another sip before having to get up and go to the bathroom. He’d come to the conclusion with himself that as long as he was sober enough to go to the bathroom in time, he was fine.

He walked pass the gang, giving a nod to Boss, a smile to Duen and a middle finger to Bohn, and left. 

You had to pass the yard to reach the bathroom but Frong didn’t complain, the fresh air welcomed. He tried his best not to stumble on the pavestones, legs a bit wobbly, and pretended he didn’t see Ram and King on his left, definitely not looking at plants.

This was a good day.

~

No more, Frong thought as the room started to spin a bit too much. He’d always given himself credit as he knew his limits and stuck to them. His drink only had a mouthful left and after that he’d go tell Duen he was leaving. If Duen still was conscious.

Happy to call it a night he wrapped his hand around the glass to drain it but before he could lift it up a hand came to stop him. The person squeezed his wrist to make him let go of the glass before letting go of him. Frong turned around to face the person, confused.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he shouted but mainly because the music was so loud. He wasn’t so drunk that his drinking would need to be stopped? Then he saw the person. The man. The doctor. What was he doing here? 

Thara seemed disappointed, maybe even a bit angry, looking at him but Frong didn’t know why. He wasn’t the one who was stopped drinking. Not that it was a big loss.

“Hello Frong,” he started out with his doctor voice, which now that Thara was in his everyday clothes and in a public bar, seemed ridiculous and patronizing. Frong wasn’t his patient here. “I should be the one asking ‘what do you think you are doing’. You’re on antibiotics and you shouldn’t be drinking.”

Oh. Right. That.

Yeah, he knew. Even considered whether or not he should drink tonight but then he had arrived and well. He was surprised Duen hadn’t realized he was on antibiotics and tried to stop him from drinking but Frong wasn’t going to question his luck.

Thara was looking at him expectantly, waiting to hear his explanation. Frong wondered if the man would believe the liquid in his glass was not alcohol at all. He highly doubted as his breath could be set on fire right now.

“Well?” Thara asked, one eyebrow raised and Frong found that he didn’t like this at all. He was a grown man and this was a stranger. On what grounds did he think Frong would owe him an explanation? And what on earth justified this man stopping him from drinking? The alcohol under his skin was burning and he felt real resentment towards this man.

“I can do what I want, thank you very much,” he spat over the music and to prove his point he lifted the glass up and downed his drink. There. What do you think of this Doctor?

Thara let out a displeased noise and his eyebrows went down to form a scowl. “That is highly irresponsible. This concerns your health and well-being and the warnings should be taken seriously.” The man took a step closer as if that would make the words sink in better and schooled his face back into concerned professionalism. 

The annoying doctor voice was back and Frong hated it. He hated how this man right here talked to him like he knew better. Like yeah, maybe he did but Frong didn’t care. He could make his own decisions.

A sensible part of him told him to just walk away as the man was only showing his concern but something in Frong made him want to rebel against the man. Feeling the annoyance in him grow he abandoned his plan to go home and instead, without breaking eye-contact, he ordered another drink.

Frong reveled when Thara stopped to stare at him, appalled. “I read the fine print _Doctor_ ,” he said mockingly, “I just don’t care. And you have no right to come here and yell at me and tell me what to do.” He waited if the man was going to say anything but the other just stood there in shock and what Frong identified as calculative. So Frong took a sip. And another. And a third-

“Where’s Duen?” Thara asked suddenly apparently recognizing a losing battle. Frong pointed to the dancefloor where Duen stood too drunk to realize he wasn’t moving anymore. Thara just rolled his eyes fondly at that. “Well that explains why he didn’t stop you from drinking.”

Oh, for fucks sake. 

“Actually, newsflash, I don’t need anyone to stop me from doing anything,” Frong said angrily and downed his drink fully, needing the burn to distract him from the odd irritation. It didn’t help. “I’m well aware of all the hazards, Mr. Know-it-all, and can make my own adult decisions and I don’t need anyone to babysit me like a fucking baby. So now, why don’t you consider me warned and go rejoin your group or whatever.”

Thara looked a little confused by his outburst, truth be told Frong himself was a little thrown off as well. But then the man just shrugged and sat down next to Frong. Which was definitely not part of Frong’s plan.

“No, no, no,” he said, shaking his head when the doctor didn’t move and even ordered a drink. “Go join your group.”

Thara shot him a quick look before pointing out to the general direction of the dancefloor. “This is my group. Duen invited me.”

Frong turned his head to overlook his friends spread around the bar. Why would Duen invite Thara? I mean he knew the two knew each other but enough to be drinking buddies?

“You’re that close?” he wondered out loud.

Thara gave him a low chuckle but nodded. “We’re cousins. He asked if I needed a break from all the doctoring and I said yes.”

Oh, the irony. Frong shot Thara an unimpressed look. The man was here to take a break from doctoring yet kept bothering him about medical stuff. He was probably the type of man who tried to control everything and everyone around them. What a bore.

“Great,” Frong flashed him an unkind smile, “Why don’t you go keep him company then.”

“No, I think I’d rather sit here. Duen looks way too far gone and besides here I can keep an eye on you.”

The burn that had been under Frong’s skin since the man had first opened his mouth finally sparked at that. 

“Didn’t I just fucking tell you I didn’t need babysitting?” he shouted louder than necessary and actually jumped up to glower at the man.

Thara just looked at him with a schooled expression and looked way too calm for Frong’s liking. Why was he so unbothered by this? What gave him the right to bother Frong’s night out and then look so fucking calm while Frong was livid. 

He wanted to chase a reaction out of him so badly.

Everything he was feeling right now was way too intense for his liking and it kept him on edge. He needed another force against him so they could just battle this out but instead he just got a sympathetic look and a glass of water handed to him and it just made him burn hotter.

“Here, I think you should drink this,” Thara said after handing the glass to him. He then lifted his hands in defense and assured him, “Not that I’m saying what you should or shouldn’t do but take it just in case.”

Frong’s mouth was indeed drier than the desert but something in him didn’t let him drink it. He just kept staring at the doctor, his eyes focusing in and out from his form, and hated the way the man gave him a smile. A doctor smile.

“Why are you being kind when I’m shouting at you?” he asked accusingly.

Thara gave another sympathetic smile that truly was wearing Frong’s patience thin. “You’ve had quite a bit of alcohol, not to even mention with medication you should not have alcohol with which can make you feel sick and dizzy. Feeling sick while drunk can make you irritated so it comes as a no surprise that you might be a bit aggressive.” 

A paused silence.

Frong threw his water at the man’s face and walked away.

He heard the shocked sounds from the people around the scene. He didn’t hear a shocked sound out of Thara.

Piece of shit.

Spitting words like they were medical terms to Frong’s face and just not dropping the case when Frong had asked him to do so. He ignored the sick feeling in his stomach that was spreading through his body as he walked away. That was just out of disgust and not because the man was right.

He went straight to Duen and muttered to him angrily. “Your cousin is horrible. Also why didn’t you tell me you were cousins?” Not that it was important info. He just wanted to talk to a friend for a change.

Duen looked at him confused. Well more like looked through him drunkenly but Frong got the idea. “What are you talking about? I told you we were cousins at the hospital?” he laughed at him. 

“Oh, sorry I was too busy dying to pay attention to your family tree,” he said dramatically but there wasn’t any bite behind the words.

That earned him another chuckle and Frong could already feel his mood lifting. Duen was shaking his head at his friends stupidity. “Wait, what do you mean he’s horrible?”

Frong only rolled his eyes and groaned, feeling way too tired to start explaining everything wrong with the doctor. “Ugh forget it, it’s nothing.”

Duen only acknowledged his answer with a pat to his back before turning around to do a slut drop -Duen style, which Frong had learned was him going down and never getting back up again.

He huffed a laugh as his friend snored on the ground, stepping aside when Bohn hurried to help his boyfriend.

“At least you always fight back,” he said to Bohn half-heartedly earning him a confused look from the man before he started to lift Duen off the ground.

Frong decided it was time to go home. His weird outburst was starting to wear off and he just desperately wanted to sleep and to flee the scene before Thara would come to complain to him about his wet clothes.

He took two steps towards the front door before he passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't drink alcohol with meds sweethearts!


	4. Unhappy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm loving all the comments you're leaving!

Everything around Frong was dizzy when he came to. He was barely conscious but could register familiar movement. He was probably in a car. Most likely a cab he thought to himself groggily, trying to get his eyes to work but they just wouldn’t focus. There were bright lights flashing every now and then from all directions making him feel sick. Who ever invented streetlights could die.

He wondered how he was going to pay the driver, let alone get up from the seat when he felt a soothing hand petting his leg carefully. God bless Duen.

Frong closed his eyes, enjoying the caress and let it lull him back to darkness.

~

Death was near and Frong welcomed it. His head felt like it was caving in, while also trying to explode. And when he sat up way too fast he was pretty sure he discovered a new form of pain.

What the fuck did he do last night?

He looked around the strange room, trying to find any indications of whose room it was but found none. It wasn’t King’s as it wasn’t overflowing with plants, or Ram’s because there were zero dogs licking his face right now. It couldn’t be Duen’s either because Bohn wasn’t there trying to kick him out.

Did he hook up with a stranger?

He heard footsteps coming closer and froze. He just hoped the man had been just as drunk so there wouldn’t be any awkward one-sided ‘sorry I don’t remember who you are at all’ moment.

The footsteps stopped.

The door opened.

Someone walked in.

Fuck.

Thara.

All blood drained from Frong’s face, before immediately rushing back up to form a blush on his cheek.

Did he sleep with Thara? 

He tried to rake his brain for any memory of last night. Sure enough the doctor had been there sitting next to him at the bar. They went home together? Why didn’t Frong remember. The man definitely didn’t seem to be a one-night stand type of guy. 

This could get awkward Frong thought. He then remembered the man was also Duen’s very close cousin. Oh this could get very messy. Why did Frong always make the worst decisions? Who was the genius who decided it was a good decision to give him free will?

“Morning,” Thara said warmly, careful not to be too loud, and totally unaware of Frong’s inner turmoil. “How are we feeling?”

“Like shit,” Frong told in all honesty and groaned in pain for good measure before rubbing his eyes, trying to get the fuzziness in them go away. It was a mistake that Frong quickly regretted as it only made his eyes hurt more, the world spinning out of control.

Frong looked back up to Thara and wondered whether or not he should ask him what happened. Would he be offended that Frong didn’t remember their night together? Did they even have a night together, he wondered now that the initial shock was wearing out. He discreetly moved his ass on the bed to see if there was any certain kind of pain. 

There wasn’t as far as he could tell. He let out a relieved sigh.

“You look like shit as well,” Thara laughed softly and it was surely meant to be fond but Frong gave him a pouted glare nonetheless. “But I guess that’s what happens when you take high amounts of alcohol with pills though,” he said nonchalantly and Frong’s every braincell sprang awake.

Oh, that’s right.

Last night hit Frong like a brick. His playful pout disappeared and got replaced by an annoyed clench of teeth. “You don’t know when to drop things, do you?” he said and his voice was like gravel travelling up his dry throat, hurting him from the inside.

The doctor shook his head amusedly and if Frong didn’t know any better he would’ve said the man looked smug. He had his arms crossed in front of him and he was looking down at Frong, drinking the other’s state in. “Or maybe,” he said, “I know exactly when not to drop things.”

Okay he was clearly enjoying this.

“Enjoying my pain you sadist?” Frong asked as the other merely smiled as Frong tried his best to stay in this realm. He felt annoyance built up in his veins once again but it was missing the anger. He sat up some more to get out of bed but everything just hurt so much. Being observed didn’t help either and he just wished he was back at home so he could die in peace.

“I am merely happy to see that this might become a lesson for you,” Thara said and oh, there the anger was. Hello.

“Whatever. Could you at least get me some water?” he asked rolling his eyes but the man made no effort to move. 

“You said last night that you were adult enough to make your own decisions. Well now you get to be adult enough to face the results of those decisions,” Thara said and Frong groaned but this time from mental pain. “There’s water in the kitchen, now be a big boy like you said you were and go get some yourself.”

Frong was going to cry. He was going to cry and then he was going to die out of dehydration and then he was going to die again out of all the pain. He was going to die twice and it was all Thara’s fault. And maybe just a bit of the alcohol’s.

Frong glared at Thara, making him know that he was very displeased about this. The doctor just kept on smiling and staring back without a care in the world. And they stayed like that for a good few minutes before Thara probably finally took pity on Frong’s spent form and disappeared into the kitchen.

However much Thara annoyed Frong once again he couldn’t help but to bless the man silently as he heard the water running. He sent out another bless as he held the glass of water in his hands.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, halfly hoping the man wouldn’t hear it.

~

They were seated at Thara’s kitchen table with the remains of breakfast in front of them. Frong was picking through his plate but not lifting anything to his mouth anymore. He had finally felt alive enough to actually get up and was surprised to find out the other man had actually cooked for them. He took a quick look at Thara’s stupidly responsible looking eyes and yeah, maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised.

Since when were people good at adulting?

They hadn’t said much since the glass of water and it was giving Frong time to think. His first thought was that maybe Thara wasn’t that bad or annoying, but he pinned it down on the dehydration. His second thought however made him stop stirring his food.

“Why am I here?”

How had he not asked it earlier? Why the hell was he indeed there? He was certain by now that nothing had happened between them, so why was he here and not at home? Or at one of his friend’s places?

Thara looked up at him with amusement which didn’t sit well with Frong. Everything about the man made him feel uneasy.

“You’re honeslty asking that?” he laughed like it was a stupid question. The question wasn’t stupid. Thara was. Thara seemed to pick up on how Frong actually wanted to know and he too left his food alone. “Well as we know you were not in the best shape,” yes, Frong’s headache was enough of a remainder, “Duen was too out of it as well to take you home and I didn’t really know who your other friends there were so I brought you here after you collapsed on the bar floor. You threw up in the cab by the way.”

His cheeks flamed up a bit with embarrassment at that. Frong sure knew how to have fun, huh? The explanation still didn’t sit right with him though.

“Well why didn’t you just drop me off at my place?” memories of the bike ride flashed in his eyes, “You know where I live.”

The idea that he could be soundly asleep in his own apartment, all alone and at peace right now instead of having to go through ten awkward conversations before 9am was getting to him. Did Thara bring him here just to gloat on his misery? Is that what kind of a person Thara was? Frong knew he had to have a crack on that perfect surface somewhere. Crazy sadistic maniac.

“You should’ve seen the state you were in,” Thara explained casually, “You had consumed great amounts of alcohol with pills you weren’t supposed to have alcohol with, and no this isn’t me trying to give you a life lesson before you try to deck me over this table. So I brought you here so I can make sure you’re alright. What if you’d run into complications during the night? However unlikely it might have been, I wasn’t going to risk receiving a phone call from Duen in the morning that you’d suffocated on your own vomit.” 

Well fuck. How was he supposed to hate him now? He’d just have to put more effort in, he decided. Frong wasn’t a quitter.

But he did feel gratefulness rising through his skin. I mean after all it did make sense for a doctor to worry about him, right? It was allowed and completely logical. But his pride was gnawing at him. He didn’t need looking after.

He cleared his throat. “Thank you. I’ll pay you the cab money and stuff and-” he paused, not really wanting to move yet but not wanting to stay any longer either. “I’ll get going then,” he finally finished and got up.

“I can give you a lift, if you’d like,” Thara offered, getting up as well and started to put the plates away. “I need to leave for work anyway.”

Another flash of the bike ride flashed before Frong’s eyes and he hurried to say that a lift wasn’t necessary. He’d rather crawl home. He’d rather oil his whole body up, lie on the ground, and wait for the wind to slowly push him home inch by inch.

Thara chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling up, as he took in Frong’s horrified but determined look on his face. Did the man look softer in the mornings? For a fleeting second Frong felt the urge to cuddle up to him which was weird and not a thing Frong usually wanted to do, and definitely not a thing that Frong wanted to do to Thara or for Thara to do to him or for anyone to ever find about this.

“Fair enough,” Thara said and started gathering things around the house, probably work related. “But I do feel the need to tell you that I do have a car, which I plan on taking today. If it makes a difference.”

Frong wondered if it did make a difference. On the other hand he didn’t want anymore favours from the man, feeling in debt already, but on the other hand it would be so much more comfortable than trying to find a cab or oiling his body. And didn’t Frong deserve that? In fact he deserved to be carried on a golden throne to his home step but he doubted Thara had those.

Still he felt uneasy about accepting the offer. He felt like he’d lost something and he didn’t like losing. He didn’t like when people had the upper hand on him and Thara seemed to have it all the time. He was truly disappointed on the night before. It was supposed to be a break and an award for all the shit Frong had gone through in the past few days and yet here he was, the universe circling him back to suffer more awkward encounters. All with the same man.

But he accepted the offer anyway. Because at this point you might as well, right? What more could go wrong for Frong?

“I’m just gonna get my things,” Frong said before disappearing to the bedroom. Thara had successfully gathered his things and was waiting on the front door, ready to leave. Then a scream came and soon after a panicked Frong followed, running from the bedroom with his belongings in his hands.

Thara didn’t even move a muscle. Just smiled knowingly.

A frantic Frong ran straight into him, surprising him a little, making Thara lose a bit of footing. Out of instinct he lifted a protective hand around the other to calm him down.

“There’s a motherfucking lizard in there!” the boy shouted looking up at Thara with wide eyes of horror. “There’s a motherfucking lizard roaming on your bedroom floor and we’re getting out of here! If you don’t move a muscle soon I won’t hesitate to throw you as a meal for him and saving myself!”

Thara just laughed but tightened his hold a bit as the other actually seemed scared for his life. “I see you’ve found Cupcake,” he said fondly. His pride and joy.

Frong didn’t seem to think so as his panicked face shifted into shock and then to anger. Thara couldn’t but to notice the ever growing blush from embarrassment as well.

“You have a fucking pet lizard?” he asked horrified and accusingly. “A pet lizard that roams free in your bedroom and-“ Frong paused, a horrible realization kicking in. “Oh my god was it there when I was sleeping?! Was it in the room when I was sleeping in there?!” His whole body shivered imagining the creature crawling on his skin but his movements felt restricted. Then he realized the arm around him. And the heat from Thara’s body as he was basically glued to the man.

The whole scene played itself in his head and one look at Thara’s amused smile told him that, yup, he had once again made a fool out of himself. 

“Stop laughing,” Frong growled when he heard the first hints of a chuckle.

The man did not follow orders. “I’m sorry but you didn’t see what I saw. Besides Cupcake’s, what? Like five centimeter’s long?” Thara didn’t sound teasing in the slightest but Frong wanted to die anyway. Why was this happening to him? Was this karma from when he never returned his friend’s pen in second grade?

Frong gave a small slap to Thara’s chest to let him know that making fun of him was not allowed. That only gouged another chuckle out of the man. “Besides,” he added softly, looking down at Frong so adamantly that he lifted his gaze to meet the other, “you look adorable when you’re panicking.”

The heat wasn’t coming from only Thara anymore as it washed through Frong completely. He felt his mouth open in shock and saw how Thara’s eyes graced the movement a quick look. There was a thin veil of a teasing glint over Thara’s face and Frong’s heart was pounding out of his chest. Out of panic. Out of pure panic. 

He took a shaky step back to distance himself from the man and mumbled something that definitely didn’t form words, before beelining for the door. His mind didn’t register anything he was doing before he was outside, running home, not noticing the worried man standing in the doorway.


End file.
